1980–81 Leicester City F.C. season

Leicester City
1980–81 season
Chairman Dennis Sharp
Manager Jock Wallace
First Division 21st (relegated)
FA Cup Fourth round
League Cup Second round
Top goalscorer League: Melrose (9)
All: Melrose (11)
Average home league attendance 19,476

During the 1980–81 English football season, Leicester City F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary

In the 1980–81 season, Leicester were in the relegation places for most of the season and were stuck in the bottom three since the beginning of November which also included only 2 wins in 16 league games from beginning of September to the end of November. Their only highlight of the season was their famous league double over Liverpool as well as inflicting Liverpool's first home defeat in 85 games on 31 January 1981 with a 2-1 win at Anfield.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L F A W D L F A F A GD Pts
1 Aston Villa 4216324013105632277240+3260
2 Ipswich Town 421542451486732297743+3456
3 Arsenal 421380361767825286145+1653
4 West Bromwich Albion 421542401558820276042+1852
5 Liverpool 4213533815412524276242+2051
6 Southampton 4215424722561029347656+2050
7 Nottingham Forest 421533442049818246244+1850
8 Manchester United 429111301467821225136+1548
9 Leeds United 421056191975920283947–844
10 Tottenham Hotspur 429934431561026377068+243
11 Stoke City 42894312349820375160–942
12 Manchester City 4210743525441321345659–339
13 Birmingham City 4211553223271218385061–1138
14 Middlesbrough 4214433816211815455361–837
15 Everton 428673225541223335558–336
16 Coventry City 429663130441317384868–2036
17 Sunderland 4210473219431420345253–135
18 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4211282620271217354355–1235
19 Brighton & Hove Albion 4210383026441324415467–1335
20 Norwich City 429753425401715484973–2433
21 Leicester City 427592023611420444067–2732
22 Crystal Palace 4264113237031815464783–3619

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Key
League Champions, qualified for European Cup
Qualified for European Cup
FA Cup winners, qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
Qualified for UEFA Cup
League Cup Winners, see Liverpool
Relegated

Results

Leicester City's score comes first[1]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
16 August 1980 Ipswich TownH0–121,640
19 August 1980 EvertonA0–123,337
23 August 1980 LiverpoolH2–028,455Peake, Henderson
30 August 1980 Leeds UnitedA2–118,530O'Neill, Henderson
6 September 1980 SunderlandH0–120,638
13 September 1980 Manchester UnitedA0–543,229
20 September 1980 Nottingham ForestA0–527,145
27 September 1980 Tottenham HotspurH2–122,616Smith, Buchanan
4 October 1980 ArsenalA0–128,490
8 October 1980 Stoke CityH1–114,549Wilson
11 October 1980 Coventry CityH1–317,104Lineker
18 October 1980 Crystal PalaceA1–216,387Young
21 October 1980 MiddlesbroughA0–113,114
25 October 1980 Wolverhampton WanderersH2–018,133Henderson, Young
1 November 1980 Aston VillaA0–229,953
8 November 1980 Manchester CityH1–119,104Young
12 November 1980 EvertonH0–115,511
15 November 1980 Ipswich TownA1–319,892Williams
22 November 1980 West Bromwich AlbionA1–317,752Lineker
29 November 1980 Norwich CityH1–213,958Young
6 December 1980 Birmingham CityA2–118,479Melrose (2)
13 December 1980 MiddlesbroughH1–013,998MacDonald
20 December 1980 Stoke CityA0–113,433
26 December 1980 Brighton & Hove AlbionH0–119,570
27 December 1980 SouthamptonA0–421,886
10 January 1981 West Bromwich AlbionH0–217,778
17 January 1981 Leeds UnitedH0–116,094
31 January 1981 LiverpoolA2–135,154Byrne, Melrose
7 February 1981 Manchester UnitedH1–026,085Melrose
14 February 1981 SunderlandA0–122,569
21 February 1981 Tottenham HotspurA2–127,326Lynex, Byrne
28 February 1981 Nottingham ForestH1–126,608Lynex
7 March 1981 ArsenalH1–020,198Williams
14 March 1981 Coventry CityA1–421,430Young
21 March 1981 Crystal PalaceH1–115,176O'Neill
28 March 1981 Wolverhampton WanderersA1–021,694Melrose
31 March 1981 Manchester CityA3–310,291Williams, Young, Melrose
4 April 1981 Aston VillaH2–426,032Lynex (2, 1 pen)
18 April 1981 SouthamptonH2–221,349Young, Lynex (pen)
20 April 1981 Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–221,176MacDonald
25 April 1981 Birmingham CityH1–013,666Williams
2 May 1981 Norwich CityA3–224,675Melrose (3)

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R33 January 1981 Cardiff CityH3–017,527Lineker, Buchanan, Melrose
R424 January 1981 Exeter CityH1–120,996Henderson
R4R28 January 1981 Exeter CityA1–315,268Melrose

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st leg26 August 1980 West Bromwich AlbionA0–113,810
R2 2nd leg3 September 1980 West Bromwich AlbionH0–1 (lost 0-2 on agg)17,081

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
- England GK Mark Wallington
- Scotland DF Tommy Williams
- Scotland DF William Gibson
- England MF Andy Peake
- England DF Larry May
- Northern Ireland DF John O'Neill
- England MF Paul Edmunds
- Scotland FW Jim Melrose
- Scotland FW Alan Young
- Scotland DF Ian Wilson
- Scotland DF Bobby Smith
- Scotland FW Martin Henderson
- England MF Mark Goodwin
- Antigua and Barbuda DF Everton Carr
No. Position Player
- England MF Neil Grewcock
- England DF Peter Welsh
- Scotland MF Eddie Kelly
- England DF Geoff Scott
- England FW Dave Buchanan
- England FW Gary Lineker
- Republic of Ireland MF Pat Byrne
- Scotland MF Stewart Hamill
- Scotland MF Kevin MacDonald
- Scotland DF Paul Friar
- England MF Steve Lynex
- Northern Ireland MF Paul Ramsey
- England DF Norman Leet

References